[Note: this transcription was produced by an automatic OCR engine]

276 MALEKULA '
is not known, but it is interesting that Barang should also be the
title of any man who has entered the Nelan Society in Lagalag}
Layard reported that according to his informants banmg and
Zoh were both words from Tomrnan Island,’ but as we have
seen, Deacon states that the latter belongs to the dialect of
Hurtes. We may perhaps infer, therefore, that banmg also is
an Hurtes word, the grade name and title having been borrowed
together. Whether Nam’ Mbimbamp, the degree whose title
is Barang Telmbwir, is also one which has been introduced from
this district to Seniang, there is nothing to tell us. N aari M bi/mgk
is the name of a variety of cordyline, a plant which is, it seems,
second only in ritual importance to the croton. Nimbimben is
the word used to designate a type of armlet made of shell and
string, of which there are several varieties which will be described
later. The signiï¬Åcance of the titles Mwelip Mbon and Mwelip
Sal is not certain ; Layard suggests that the latter‘ is a compound
of liw, meaning " arrow", and sal, which he gives as the Word
used for when children go about the bush shooting at anything
that they can see, while mu/e he regards as probably a verbal
particle.“ Deacon on the other hand saw a different derivation
of the words, for opposite Mwelip Sal he noted, as though in
translation, “ joined together~»double fruit Newt means
“ the stone ", and this grade is in fact the ï¬Årst for which a stone
and not a wooden image is set up. The title Vet Ndum seems
to be a compound of vet, from meet, and the word mium which
is used for the noise made when something falls ; Vetn Mbuas
may possibly mean “ The Stone's Pig " or " The Pig's Stone
The next grade, N aai M bimbarap, takes its name from the wooden
image which the candidate sets up at entrance to it. Nahaimalal
was translated “ Dance Again ", mial meaning “ back â€ù or
" again", and hop or hav meaning “ dance ". No explanation
was found for the alternative titles of this grade, nor for the
name of the succeeding one, Neien M welip, though mien means
" the earth â€ù, or “ the ground â€ù. As regards one of the titles,
Telmbwir, of this degree, which is found also forming a part
of the titles for Naai M bimbamp and Naamel, it is interesting
to notice that it is the same as that borne by members of the
l The Nolan of Lagalag is almost certainly an organintion which corresponds
to the Nnlaunm of Seniang (q.v.).—C. H. W.
' Lay-ard, 1928, p. 1574 _
‘ Layard, l928, p. 156.